Selecting natural stone can be quite a process. Educating yourself on the intricacies of the purchase is important before you go to shopping. You need to consider what kind of stone you want, the coloring and design you like, and whether it will coordinate with the rest of the room in which you intend to place the stone. Having a layout plan and inspecting the stone for flaws will also avoid disappointment when you install the stone in your home. Here are some helpful tips for choosing natural stone.
You Have to Consider Stone Type
When you are in the market to purchase natural stone, you have to consider the type and variety of stone you use in the renovation. Granite is a beautiful, highly durable natural stone. It is expensive, but it can last for decades—if treated and maintained properly. Marble and limestone are also very attractive stones. An advantage is that these stones can be less expensive than granite, but they are not as strong. Both marble and limestone are more susceptible to acid etching scratches and cracks. You should keep in mind the room in which the stone will be placed. Rooms with high traffic, such as kitchen may not be the best choice to install marble or limestone.
Look For Any Structural Imperfections
When you go to purchase natural stone, you should examine it thoroughly. You should look for any structural imperfections in the stone, such as cracks and chips. You don’t want to purchase natural stone that has these flaws. It may end up cracking even further after it is installed, which means it may cause you a lot of trouble and money if you have to replace a section of your counter top. Make sure you are diligent in looking over the stone slab before your purchase.
You Must Consider Design and Finish
Granite, marble, and other natural stones have wonderful natural patterns. They can vary in color and markings in the stone. It makes each slab and counter top unique and special. The color and design differences are due to the area in which the stone is quarried. Do your research and decide what kind of color and design you want to have in your home. You will also want to decide if you want the high polish finish or a honed finish that does not show scratches and wear as much as its polished counterpart.
You Should Compare it to Other Samples for Your Renovation
Before you go shopping to select a natural stone product, you should prepare yourself and select your paint, cabinet, and flooring samples that you intend to have in the room you are renovating. You want to take these shopping with you so that you can choose a stone that will coordinate with these items and look great in your space. If you only intend to change the counter top, you could take a photo with you to make sure you will like what you ultimately decide to purchase once it’s installed in the room.
You Should Measure and Have a Layout Plan
Another tip you should take into consideration before you go shopping is that you should measure the room and draw up a layout plan for why you are purchasing the stone. If you have this when you go, it will help your natural stone (http://flooring.about.com/od/types-of-flooring/a/A-Guide-To-Natural-Stone-Tile-Flooring.htm) expert to order the correct specifications when it is cut to fit your room. This is the best way to ensure that you don’t face the situation where the stone you purchased doesn’t fit where you intended to place it. Do all you can to avoid that headache and inconvenience!
Be informed and smart when you go to select and buy a natural stone product for your home. Make sure that, before you go, you have measured your room and created a layout of the room to help avoid misinformation and inconveniences at installation time. Make sure that you also know how to care for the stone you select and how it will hold up to your lifestyle. It is also recommended that you consider the coloring and details if the rest of the room before selection natural stone. If you follow these hints, your experience buying natural stone will be positive.
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